strode. I'll be
round at half-past twelve."

Miss Dorton went out in a dazed sort of condition, and the guv'nor
gives me a sovereign, and tells me I can have the rest of the day to
myself.

Mr. Condor, Junior, considers that what happened subsequently goes to
prove that he was right more than it proves that he was wrong.

Mr. Condor, Junior, also promised to send us a photograph of himself
for reproduction, but, unfortunately, up to the time of going to press
it had not arrived.

* * *

From Mrs. Meadows, widow of the late Corporal John Meadows, V.C.,
Turberville, Bucks, the following further particulars were obtained by
our local representative:

I have done for Mr. Parable now for some years past, my cottage being
only a mile off, which makes it easy for me to look after him.

Mr. Parable likes the place to be always ready so that he can drop in
when he chooses, he sometimes giving me warning and sometimes not. It
was about the end of last month--on a Friday, if I remember
rightly--that he suddenly turned up.

As a rule, he walks from Henley station, but on this occasion he
arrived in a fly, he having a young woman with him, and she having a
bag--his cook, as he explained to me. As a rule, I do everything for
Mr. Parable, sleeping in the cottage when he is there; but to tell the
truth, I was glad to see her. I never was much of a cook myself, as my
poor dead husband has remarked on more than one occasion, and I don't
pretend to be. Mr. Parable added, apologetic like, that he had been
suffering lately from indigestion.

"I am only too pleased to see her," I says. "There are the two beds in
my room, and we shan't quarrel." She was quite a sensible young woman,
as I had judged from the first look at her, though suffering at the
time from a cold. She hires a bicycle from Emma Tidd, who only uses it
on a Sunday, and, taking a market basket, off she starts for Henley,
Mr. Parable saying he would go with her to show her the way.

They were gone a goodish time, which, seeing it's eight miles, didn't
so much surprise me; and when they got back we all three had dinner
together, Mr. Parable arguing that it made for what he called "labour
saving." Afterwards I cleared away, leaving them talking together; and
later on they had a walk round the garden, it being a moonlight night,
but a bit too cold for my fancy.

In the morning I had a chat with her before he was down.